123 Madison Street

Oak Park, Illinois 60302

www.oak-park.us

Village of Oak Park

Meeting Minutes

President and Board of Trustees

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

6:30 PM

Village Hall

I. Call to Order

Village President Scaman called the Meeting to order at 6:33 P.M.

II. Roll Call

President Scaman noted that Village Trustee Enyia will attend via Zoom

due to illness.

6 -

Present:

Absent:

Village President Scaman, Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

1 - Village Trustee Wesley

III. Consideration of Motion to Adjourn to Closed Session to Discuss Pending

Litigation and Collective Bargaining

It was moved by Eder, seconded by Village Trustee Straw, to adjourn to Closed

Session. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows:

6 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

6 -

AYES:

NAYS:

Village President Scaman, Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, and Village Trustee Taglia

NAYS:

1 - Village Trustee Wesley

ABSENT:

IV. Adjourn Closed Session

V. Reconvene to Regular Meeting in Council Chambers and Call to Order

The Regular Meeting reconvened at 7:14 P.M.

VI. Roll Call

7 -

Present:

Absent:

Village President Scaman, Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Wesley

VII. Agenda Approval

VIII. Minutes

It was moved by Village Trustee Taglia, seconded by Village Trustee Straw to

approve the Agenda. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

MOT 26-101

A Motion to Approve Minutes from the November 11, November 18,

December 2 and December 9, 2025 Regular Meeting, and the November

20, 2025 Special Meeting of the Village Board.

It was moved by Village Trustee Taglia, seconded by Village Trustee Wesley to

approve the Minutes. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved.

IX. Non-Agenda Public Comment

President Scaman asked whether there were any persons wanting to make

public comments.

Resident John W. discussed parking issues due to his son approaching driving

age and overnight parking ban. He and neighbors have started a petition to

implement residential parking permits.

Community Relations Coordinator Cassandra A. highlighted the contributions of

union workers in Oak Park. Emphasized the need for better wages and support

for union workers to retain good employees.

Local 73 State Division Director Shea M. discussed the high turnover rate of

union workers and the need for better wages to retain employees.

Grants Coordinator Nick M. discussed the need for equity in salaries, comparing

Oak Park to other communities. Highlighted the high cost of living in Oak Park

and the need for higher salaries to match other areas.

Animal Control Officer Kyle F. shared his experience and the challenges of his

role, including low pay and high workload. He urged the board to reconsider the

value of their team and the importance of retaining staff.

X. Village Manager Reports

Resident Ingo S. expressed frustration with the current leaf collection process

and the condition of the streets. Questioned the village's approach to street

cleaning and the impact on sewers.

Public Works Director Rob Sproule explained the challenges faced due to

unusual snowfall and late leaf drop. LRS has extended the leaf collection

program through March, and residents can continue to bag leaves and place

them in the alley. Rob emphasizes the importance of residents bagging leaves

to avoid clogging drains and improving street conditions.

Chief Financial Officer Kevin Bueso introduced himself as the new CFO for the

Village of Oak Park, bringing over 15 years of finance experience. He

emphasized his commitment to transparency, his excitement to collaborate

with the team.

XI. Village Board Committees

None; no action was taken regarding this item.

XII. Citizen Commission Vacancies

ID 26-110

Board and Commission Vacancy Report for January 13, 2026

This report lists the expected number of members, current number of members

seated and number of active vacancies for the Village’s 18 citizen boards and

commissions. There are currently 23 vacancies.

President Scaman stated that anyone interested in serving on a board or

commission should contact Clerk Waters at clerkwaters@oak-park.us.

No other discussion transpired and no action took place regarding this Agenda

item.

XIII. Public Hearing

ID 26-103

Public Hearing Regarding the Acquisition of 3-31 Madison Street and 509

S. Humphrey Avenue (Sometimes Known as 11 Madison Street), Oak

Park, Illinois by the Village of Oak Park by Eminent Domain using

“Quick-take” Powers

Village President Scaman called the Public Hearing to order.

Village Attorney Gregory Smith summarized: The Village Board has chosen the

property at 3-31 Madison Street and 509 South Humphrey Avenue (commonly

known as 11 Madison Street) as the site for a new police station. After failing to

reach a voluntary sale agreement, the Board approved an ordinance on

November 11, 2025, to acquire the property through eminent domain and now

plans to seek Illinois General Assembly approval for “quick take” powers under

the Illinois Eminent Domain Act, with a public hearing held to allow community

input before proceeding.

Notice of the Hearing was published by law in the Wednesday Journal on

12-24-25.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Resident Chris D. strongly supports using eminent domain to acquire the

property for the new police station, arguing that adaptive reuse would save the

village money. They criticize US Bank’s history of disinvestment and failure to

uphold community commitments, citing foreclosure data and urging the board

to proceed quickly with the acquisition.

Resident Jacqueline L. expressed strong support for using eminent domain to

acquire and repurpose the soon-to-be-abandoned US Bank site on Madison and

Austin for a new police station, calling it the most logical, cost-effective solution.

She emphasized the urgency of addressing the police department’s

long-standing space needs, criticized US Bank’s declining local presence and

investment, and urged swift action to ensure the property serves the community

rather than sitting vacant.

US Bank Representative Abdel D. urged the Village Board to reject the use of

quick take eminent domain, calling it an aggressive and risky approach that

would force the bank to leave its Oak Park branch. He emphasized US Bank’s

long-standing commitment to the community, its desire to remain at the

location, and warned that the village’s actions would disrupt services for local

customers while the bank seeks a new site.

President Scaman called for a Motion to Adjourn the Public Hearing.

Village Trustee Taglia moved and Village Trustee Wesley seconded to adjourn

the Public Hearing. A roll call vote was taken and the motion was approved.

Village Trustee Enyia's response was inaudible.

XIV. Consent Agenda

Approval of the Consent Agenda

It was moved by Village Trustee Leving Jacobson and seconded by Eder to

approve the items under the Consent Agenda. The motion was approved. The

roll call on the vote was as follows:

7 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

RES 26-101

RES 26-102

RES 26-103

A Resolution Approving A Purchase Price Agreement with Ferguson

Enterprises LLC, d/b/a Ferguson Waterworks for Water Meters and Water

Meter Parts in an Amount not to Exceed $212,000.00, Authorizing its

Execution and Waiving the Village’s Bid Process for the Agreement

This Resolution was adopted.

A Resolution Requesting Approval of Legislation by the General Assembly

Authorizing the Village of Oak Park Eminent Domain Quick-Take Authority

to Acquire 3-31 Madison Street and 509 S. Humphrey Avenue (Sometimes

Known as 11 Madison Street), Oak Park, Illinois

This Resolution was adopted.

A Resolution Approving an Independent Contractor Agreement with Pipe

View, LLC. d/b/a Pipe View America for Project 25-10 Sewer Cleaning

and Inspection, in an Amount not to Exceed $105,730 and Authorizing its

Execution

This Resolution was adopted.

RES 26-104

A Resolution Approving the Purchase and Planting of Parkway Trees

through Contracts Secured by the Suburban Tree Consortium in an Amount

not to exceed $145,000.00 for the 2026 Tree Planting Program

This Resolution was adopted.

XV. Regular Agenda

MOT 25-302

A Motion to Approve an Updated Organization Chart for the Village Clerk’s

Office, Including the Creation of a Part-Time (.5 FTE) File Clerk Position,

and Directing Staff to Prepare the Necessary Budget Amendment

Village Clerk Waters explained that Records Management will transfer to the

Clerk’s Office in FY2026, expanding responsibilities to include physical and

electronic records, archival processing, digitization, and compliance. Due to

insufficient staffing, she requested a file clerk position and outlined plans to

partner with the library for archival storage and complete digitization while

improving overall records management across the organization.

It was moved by Village Trustee Leving Jacobson, seconded by Village Trustee

Enyia, that this Motion be approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on

the vote was as follows:

7 -

AYES:

Village President Scaman, Eder, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Leving

Jacobson, Village Trustee Straw, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Wesley

NAYS:

ABSENT:

RES 26-110

A Resolution Approving a Purchase and Subscription Agreement with

Granicus, LLC for Government Experience Service Cloud, Granicus

Operations Cloud, Communications Cloud Advanced Package,

Government Experience Agent, Boards and Commissions and AzureAD

Connector License Through a Master Agreement Secured By OMNIA

Partners For a Term of Five Years in An Amount Not to Exceed

$179,489.65 Annually, Authorizing its Execution and Waiving the Village’s

Bid Process for the Agreement.

Chief Communications Officer Dan Yopchick provided an update on expanding

the village’s partnership with Granicus, including migrating existing services like

the website, agenda software, and newsletters to a cloud system for better

support and service credits. The plan also includes implementing an AI chatbot

to improve 24/7 responsiveness, web search functionality, and user experience,

with customization during a 6-8 week rollout.

Village Trustee Wesley provided support for the purchase and shred his

experience in testing out Jackson County’s AI feature. He advocated for

adopting the AI chatbot, explaining that modern LLM technology enables

conversational, accurate, and user-friendly access to dense information without

manual configuration, unlike older chatbots, and argued that Oak Park should

embrace this widely adopted technology now to improve efficiency and

community engagement.

Village Trustee Straw supports approving the contract but requests adding

language that allows the village to remove the $30,000 annual LLM chatbot

component in future years if it proves ineffective, to avoid being locked into a

five-year commitment for a feature that may not meet expectations.

Village Trustee Leving Jacobson acknowledged the logic behind waiving the bid

process but questioned whether comparable services from other vendors were

reviewed and how costs compare. While finding some proposed aspects

compelling-such as potential staff and community benefits and data

insights-they expressed concerns about unclear inclusivity, accessibility, and

the specific problems the AI chatbot would solve for Oak Park, noting the

proposal felt too general and lacking a clear justification for the investment.

Village Trustee Eder emphasized that the report shows strong community

interest in composting and recycling, urging the village to expand composting

programs-especially for multifamily housing-and improve education on what

materials are compostable or recyclable. They noted that cost and confusion

about proper disposal are key barriers and suggested clearer messaging to

reduce contamination and outdated recycling habits.

This Resolution was Withdrawn.

ID 26-120

Presentation and Discussion on the Outcomes of the Village Waste

Characterization Study

SES Engineer Spencer LaBelle presented: The study showed Oak Park

produces less waste per person, has higher recycling rates, and significantly

lower contamination than national averages, with one-third of waste being

organic and half of the overall stream recyclable or compostable. A supporting

survey of over 1,100 residents confirmed these findings, identified barriers like

uncertainty about cleaning recyclables, and revealed strong reliance on village

communications, with nearly 90% of respondents satisfied or neutral about

current services.

Village Trustee Straw supports approving the contract but requests adding

language that allows the village to remove the $30,000 annual LLM chatbot

component in future years if it proves ineffective, to avoid being locked into a

five-year commitment for a feature that may not meet expectations.

Village Trustee Eder praised the report’s findings and expressed enthusiasm for

Oak Park’s progress, emphasizing a strong desire to accelerate universal

composting and asking whether the village’s high engagement and performance

could lower the tipping point from the previously suggested 50% subscription

rate.

ID 26-121

Presentation and Discussion by Staff and the Village Waste Hauler

Lakeshore Recycling Systems on the Current Status and Future Options for

the Village Waste Hauling Contract

Public Works Director Rob Sproule highlighted that the village is approaching a

decision point on whether to renew its waste hauling contract with LRS, which

expires in March 2027, or go out to bid, and has invited LRS to present current

services, challenges, and future vision while gathering board feedback to inform

a recommendation by the end of March this year.

LRS Area Vice President George Strom reflected on their role in Oak Park’s

program-emphasizing sustainable cart transition, interest in customer-friendly

tools like chatbots/QR codes, strong household hazardous waste diversion,

daily use of an electric Mack LR truck aligned with village goals, and ongoing

efforts to improve resident recycling education, including considerations around

the leaf program.

Village Trustee Wesley supports a system that keeps leaves out of the street,

suggesting a flexible approach combining parkway, bag, and compost options,

ideally tied to universal composting, and encourages LRS to adopt the tech

solutions they discussed.

Village Trustee Taglia questioned the sustainability and cost impacts of recent

service changes-citing resident burdens, persistent complaints since switching

from Waste Management to LRS despite earlier cost savings-and, while

appreciative of LRS’s enthusiasm, expressed concern about ongoing service

issues and LRS’s smaller scale compared to Waste Management. Argued that

all options, including leaf collection, should be considered despite potential

costs and challenges, and stressed that any multi-million-dollar contract like this

should automatically go out for competitive bid to ensure fairness and cost

efficiency.

Village Trustee Straw recommended going through a competitive bid process to

explore more options, noting that the previous leaf collection program limited

bidders and that moving to a bagging system could attract additional waste

haulers.

Village Trustee Eder agreed that creative solutions are needed but emphasized

that, as stewards of a large contract, it is fiscally prudent to go out to bid to

ensure the village has the most options, even if the current provider ultimately

remains.

XVI. Call to Board and Clerk

Village Clerk Waters reminded everyone that economic interest and ethics

filings for Oak Park will begin soon and emphasized early voting from March

2-16 at Village Hall, including weekends, while noting that USPS postmark dates

are no longer guaranteed to match mailing dates, so voters should mail ballots

early or use the secure drop box at Village Hall. She also acknowledged the

recent passing of Mr. Ernie, founder of the Maywood Fine Arts Center and

long-time community contributor.

Village President Scaman announced the passing of Wine Johnson, a longtime

co-president of APPLE at Oak Park River Forest High School and a dedicated

activist for youth and racial equity, noting that a Celebration of Life will be held at

the 19th Century Club on January 24 at 3 p.m., with a village board proclamation

in her memory. She expressed condolences for recent significant losses in the

Black community, including Bishop Dr. Claude Porter and Mary Ann Brown.

Also noted the one-year anniversary of Frances Sullivan’s passing, highlighting

her historic achievements and suggested a future proclamation.